Conversation topic to break the ice?

Girl works at a bookstore, guy works at a car dealership. They are on a date at a restaurant.

I want the guy to start a conversation with something simple such as "So do you really enjoy books or is the bookstore.....?"

I need something along these lines to start the conversation. I have absolutely no ideas so any advice would be helpful. I chose the topic of books or bookstores because this is really the extent of what they know about each other, that she works at a bookstore and he works at a car dealership.

He could always start by saying something along the lines of "Do you consider yourself a bibliophile or do you just enjoy the quiet?", though that is a bit cheesy. However, perhaps that's what you're going for. If not, maybe have him ask her where a specific book is located. This could be either witty or innocent. Or have him offer her a great deal on a car. That's about all I can come up with for this scenario. Good luck.

I'm not sure exactly what you're asking. I'm assuming this is a story you're writing? What's the plot? How did they end up at the restaurant? He must have asked her out or somehow had a discussion with her to get to this point. If all they know about each other is where they work, is this a blind date? Were they set up by someone? Who? A mutual friend? An online dating service? His mother?

I think part of the problem might be that you don't know anything about these characters, either. You seem to be asking us to develop your characters for you, and we can't do this. Only you can. I don't think your question really fits under "plot development," but rather should be under "character development." You need to figure out who these characters are - then they'll have a conversation.

I suspect that a nice polite first-date conversation is going to be fairly boring, unless you have a _lot_ of skill at witty fictional conversation.

So I would suggest making something happen. The waiter spills water on her, there's a kitchen fire, her old boyfriend shows up, a gang of his young (grade-school age is what I'm imagining) cousins show up--something that forces conversation.

Sounds like a sure fire way of boring your readers - don't write conversation for the sake of conversation. I know in real life you do chit-chat and that's what a lot of first dates are about, but in a book you'll only succeed in boring your readers into closing your book. To make the conversation seem natural before you get into the meat of character development (I don't see what other kinds of purposes this kinda dialogue could have) you only need 2, maybe 3 lines - and they're so unimportant that personally I'd just use anything. Just keep them short.

The meat of your conversation should reveal the characters and preferably their chemistry together, assuming it's a relationship-building scene or else it's a romance/drama novel. It should reveal plot.

This really depends on what you want to do with the conversation. If it's a segue-in to the interesting bit, don't bother. Just write the interesting bit. If you're trying to show something about the character, what are you trying to show? Give us a few pointers and we can probably be more use.

And if all else fails, go meta. "So, I'm trying real hard to think of something to say to this really hot girl I'm on a date with. Do you have any ideas?"

This is all linked up with your characters - which we don't have access to. We don't know what's
going on - is this fella trying to score? Does he take one look at her and chide himself -be polite, cro-magnon
don't screw this up for me. Which would make his conversation rather superficial and fawning.
Is he a genuinely nice guy? does he really want to get to know this girl. Maybe he's trying
so hard to say the right think he puts his foot in his mouth. - The breast book- err best book I
ever read.
Is she nerdy and uptight. or repressed - I just read 50 Shades of Gray and I'm ready
to live it.
Car salesman - check, please!
It's all up to your characters. Don't try and force chit chat. Go for the gusto have them
say something interesting. Discover what they're goals are in this meeting. What there
fears, and past baggage brings to the moment.

" how much does a polar bear weigh?" " enough to break the ice"
" im good at a lot of things, like in bed"
" i belive i was a great exploror in my last life, what about you" ( substitute out what you want that day like; Samari, king, mongal, blackfoot indian, Rodiasian soldier, just know about them to back it up)
"so where you one of the people that ....( list some crime where the perpetrators where not captured)"
" im just warning you incase you are planning to abduct me, people expect me somewhere tomorrow, so you would only have a 24 hour head start"
" have you ever seen the movie fight club, we should start a version"
" one of us is thinking about sex, oww now two of us are"
" any chance of a F###?" ( use at bars, not if you are investing in actually buying her a meal
" you know whats scarry, stilleto shoes being thrown at you by your ex. those things are scarry looking when they are flying at your face"
point at a location " thats where i got pulled over for weeling my motercycle"

Those are all very cute and clever (and incidentally, I am very curious to know how that Fight Club line was successful with a girl), but this is pointing out a problem with the original question that has been referenced in some of the responses. Conversations should give us a sense of the characters, but but if we're really just talking ice breaker here, I'm not certain what the point is. Unless we're in the one character's head, and see him worrying tremendously about this date and coming up with the opening conversation. But that really needs to be done fairly quickly, because chit chat, without some kind of underlying meaning for at least one of the characters, isn't going to advance the plot or develop the characters.

" how much does a polar bear weigh?" " enough to break the ice"
" im good at a lot of things, like in bed"
" i belive i was a great exploror in my last life, what about you" ( substitute out what you want that day like; Samari, king, mongal, blackfoot indian, Rodiasian soldier, just know about them to back it up)
"so where you one of the people that ....( list some crime where the perpetrators where not captured)"
" im just warning you incase you are planning to abduct me, people expect me somewhere tomorrow, so you would only have a 24 hour head start"
" have you ever seen the movie fight club, we should start a version"
" one of us is thinking about sex, oww now two of us are"
" any chance of a F###?" ( use at bars, not if you are investing in actually buying her a meal
" you know whats scarry, stilleto shoes being thrown at you by your ex. those things are scarry looking when they are flying at your face"
point at a loca

Girl works at a bookstore, guy works at a car dealership. They are on a date at a restaurant.

I want the guy to start a conversation with something simple such as "So do you really enjoy books or is the bookstore.....?"

I need something along these lines to start the conversation. I have absolutely no ideas so any advice would be helpful. I chose the topic of books or bookstores because this is really the extent of what they know about each other, that she works at a bookstore and he works at a car dealership.

Thanks so much!

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Most sauve guys are not going to open up talking about the girl's job. So it depends on how much of a player you're character is. The more smooth he is, the more he will notice something about her immediate appearance and make a complement and turn that into a question about her.

Also look up pickup lines or first date conversation starters on youtube. It can be pretty funny.

Those are all very cute and clever (and incidentally, I am very curious to know how that Fight Club line was successful with a girl), but this is pointing out a problem with the original question that has been referenced in some of the responses. Conversations should give us a sense of the characters, but but if we're really just talking ice breaker here, I'm not certain what the point is. Unless we're in the one character's head, and see him worrying tremendously about this date and coming up with the opening conversation. But that really needs to be done fairly quickly, because chit chat, without some kind of underlying meaning for at least one of the characters, isn't going to advance the plot or develop the characters.

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she had never seen it before. so we went back to my place to "watch it".

" how much does a polar bear weigh?" " enough to break the ice"
" im good at a lot of things, like in bed"
" i belive i was a great exploror in my last life, what about you" ( substitute out what you want that day like; Samari, king, mongal, blackfoot indian, Rodiasian soldier, just know about them to back it up)
"so where you one of the people that ....( list some crime where the perpetrators where not captured)"
" im just warning you incase you are planning to abduct me, people expect me somewhere tomorrow, so you would only have a 24 hour head start"
" have you ever seen the movie fight club, we should start a version"
" one of us is thinking about sex, oww now two of us are"
" any chance of a F###?" ( use at bars, not if you are investing in actually buying her a meal
" you know whats scarry, stilleto shoes being thrown at you by your ex. those things are scarry looking when they are flying at your face"
point at a location " thats where i got pulled over for weeling my motercycle"

all have been winner for me in the past

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Most of the above would've only elicited a "Whaaaaat?" response from me And others would've landed you in my "jerk/jacksass" book and I would've steered well away. But then again, I have never done the whole pulling/picking up guys thing in my life. The abduction one would've worked on me when I was 14-16 haha.

The one that I liked was the polar bear one sounds like a bad joke from a Christmas cracker!

Well, don't use any of the above for someone you actually care about, I say.

Most of the above would've only elicited a "Whaaaaat?" response from me And others would've landed you in my "jerk/jacksass" book and I would've steered well away. But then again, I have never done the whole pulling/picking up guys thing in my life. The abduction one would've worked on me when I was 14-16 haha.

The one that I liked was the polar bear one sounds like a bad joke from a Christmas cracker!

Well, don't use any of the above for someone you actually care about, I say.

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well age of consent was 16 where i use to live, and 17 where i live now so....